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 The compassion  of  Jesus.  In  the  midst  of  His  sufferings  Jesus, while tormented  by  His  enemies  and  unjustly  condemned  to  death,  forgot Himself and  thought  of  His  fallen  apostle,  and  sought  to  recall  and convert him  by  His  glance. He did  not  upbraid  him,  nor  punish  him, but cast  on  him  one  look  of  love  and  compassion  to  bring  him  to  a knowledge  of  his  sin,  and  to  kindle  in  him  the  hope  of  forgiveness. O, how  unfathomable  is  the  love  of  the  Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus!

Divine wisdom  permitted  Peter’s  fall 1. so that  Peter  might  become very humble,  and,  as  the  vicar  of  the  Good  Shepherd,  might  be  gentle and considerate  to  those  under  his  charge;  2. that all  men  might  learn to know  the  mercy  of  God  and  the  power  of  grace,  and  that  no  sinner might give  himself  up  to  despair.

What the  Sufferings  of  Jesus  were.  It  is  with  deep  emotion  and compassion that  we  approach  the  thought  of  what  our  Lord  Jesus  suffered that night. For hours  together  a low,  ruffianly  rabble  amused  itself  by mocking  the  Son  of  God! These men  abused  Him  and  insulted  Him in every  way  that  they  could  think  of:  they  struck  Him  with  their brutal fists,  they  tore  out  His  hair,  they  spat  on  His  Sacred  Face;  and Jesus bore  all  silently  and  without  complaint. His Sacred  Face,  full  of gentleness  and  grace,  was  marred  with  bruises,  and  dishonoured  by the  spittle  of  the  very  scum  of  humanity! Truly and  terribly  were David’s words  of  prophecy  fulfilled  (Ps.  21,  7):  “I  am  a worm  and  no man,  the  reproach  of  men,  and  the  outcast  of  the  people!”  If  we contemplate  our  Saviour  in  this  state  of  deep  abjection,  we  too  could almost put  the  question  to  Him:  “Art  Thou  the  Christ? Art Thou  the Son of  God? Why dost  Thou  suffer  this  terrible  treatment?”  This  is His  answer: “I  suffer  this  for  love  of  thee; to  make  satisfaction  for  thy  sins,  and  to  give  to  thee  an  example  of  humility  and  patience.”

The repentance, confession, and  despair  of  Judas. When  Judas perceived the  consequence  of  his  treachery,  his  conscience  reproached him with  the  awful  thought:  “I  am  guilty  of  the  murder  of  my  God!” And then  Satan,  who  had  taken  possession  of  his  heart  by  reason  of his  obduracy,  drove  him  to  despair. Before the  deed  was  done,  he induced  Judas  to  sin,  blinding  him  so  that  he  did  not  perceive  the heinousness of  his  crime,  nor  consider  its  consequences;  but  once  thesin  had  been  committed,  he  showed  its  full  horror  to  the  wretched sinner, and  whispered  to  him  as  he  had  once  whispered  to  Cain,  thathis  sin  was  too  great  to  be  forgiven. Judas might  have  obtained  pardon even then,  had  he  possessed  the  proper  dispositions. It is  true  that  “he repented himself’,  and  that  he  made  a really  good  resolution  of  amendment, for  at  no  price  would  he  have  committed  the  sin  again. He confessed his  guilt  by  the  words: “I  have  sinned  in  betraying  innocent blood”; and he  made  what  satisfaction  he  could,  for  he  gave  back  the blood-money, and  tried  to  get  the  sentence  of  death  reversed — but,  for all this,  he  was  wanting  in  true  penance. Now, what  did  he  lack? The